Change-speed mechanism



E, nEsn/loummv CHANGE`SPEED MECHANISIVI. APPLICATION FILED IUNE 8, |920.

Patented 111610.21, 11922.

#lll/11141111111' rarer-er EMILE DESMOULINS, or Panis, FRANCE.

CHANGE-sientan ianonaivisiu.

lil'aoaeaa; j

Application aie-a :une s, 1920.- serial no. 387,402.

To all whome'may concern: f

Yleflit'lrnown that l, Enna; DnsMoULINs, aacitizen of the-Fre ch Bepublidresiding at Paris, France, have invented certain new and useful improvements in or Relating lto Change-Speed Mechanism, as set forth in the following specification.

' rlhis inventionV relates to differential change speed mechanism of the kind comprising a series of planet pinions interposed between vtwo principal pinions or gear wheels and meshing with thes'e latter, means being added for enabling the gears to 'be disengaged,4 at will, so that they can be displaced with` respect to one another, or for locking them together.

The present mechanismA is particularly suitable for use .with vehicles, whether terrestial,l aquatic, or aerial, of the automobile type, although itsuse is not limited to this application.

The principal object of the invention is to construct Ychange speed mechanism of the class Ain question in such a way that it is possible to obtain with the use o-f a number of parts equal to or but slightly more numerous than the parts or gear wheels generally employed in such apparatus, a considerL able increase in the number of changes of speed which can be obtained.

According to the General principle of my invention l provide in Vplace of the usual single primary shaft for operating 'meoliai nisni of the class in question, two separate primary shafts, and I combine therewith mechanismA orI gearing so constructed and arranged that the two shafts can be oonnected respectivelyl to one or other of the two principal pinions, in such a way that the device can be operated, at will, either from one or other lof .the said shafts, or again by the two at the same time. The planet pinion carrierV is moreover connected to the drivenshaft', vwhich it is required to drive at various speeds, and the parts by whichV the change of speed is effected are so proportioned and arranged that the transformation inay be'effected simply by pass#4 ing from operation by one 0f the primary shafts (talringthe place of the ordinary singlefoperatingshaft) to operation by the second of these shafts.

TheY invention furtherl refers to certain constructional details or arrangements, which are preferably employed in combination, and which will be more fullv described hereafter. i

`Amongst thesedetails, the most important are the following .A construction in which the two principal` pinions are of different diameters so that a 4change o-f speed can be obtained simply by effecting the operation from one of these pinibns instead of from the other. A construction is shown, which is especially suitable for use upon automobile vehicl'es and wherein, in order to enable the various parts of the mechanism to be rendered free or connected together at will. clutches of the plate or disc type, substan-l tia-ily similar to those in general use are employed.

In order that the said invention may be more clearly understood, will now proceedA to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing, which however is given merely by way of example.

The drawing shows diagrammatically. the rear portion of an automobile fitted with a change speed mechanism. and the two countersliafts connected therewith, constructed and arranged according to the said invention. The rear portion and the associated mechanism are sho-wn in horizontal axial section, whilst the controlling pedals for the gears and associated mechanisms are shown in the plane of section.

The changespeed mechanism for the automobile vehicle illustrated in the drawing is constructed substantially as follows and in a manner enabling two distinct shafts to be employed for transmitting the force developed by the motor, the drive being ultimately obtained from either of the two shafts or from both of them.

Referring to the drawing a is the principal shaft, adapted to be driven from the motor.

al a2 are two shafts tobe driven, located one on each side of the shaft a, and preferably at unequal distances therefrom; is a pinion keyed to the principal shaft.

1 b2 are corresponding pinions loosely mounted respectively .upon the shafts a1 and a2. l

Corresponding clutchesare also provided having fixed plates 'or portions (Z1 and Z2 in rigidconnection respectively with the pinions b1 and Z22 whilst d10 and f 20 are the corresponding` movable portions of the said llO clutches mounted slidably, with keys or the like respectively upon the shafts a1 a2.

The change speed mechanism proper comprises a long driven sleeve c and a differential change speed mechanism of the fol- Y lowing construction f is a sun wheel with straight cut teeth,

' mounted loosely on the driven sleeve c and l,one side of the planet pinion carrier to the brake pulley m2 and at the other side to a fiange provided for the purpose upon a planet sleeve L which sleeve is mounted loosely. on the driven sleeve c. The said planet sleeve L is moreover connected vto the axially fixed outer portion z' of a planet clutch, preferably of the plate or disc type which serves to clutch the planet carrier to the driven shaft c.

o is another sleeve slidable, with a key on the sleeve c, and forming` the movable portion of the planet clutch corresponding to the fixed portion z'. j is an internally toothed annulus, so constructed and mounted that it meshes with the planetpinions g, this annulus j is fixed to an annulus sleeve surrounding the planet sleeve.

Carried by the annulus sleeve is a worm wheel meshing with a worm e2, the whole arrangement forming a reversible coupling, and the worm being connected, preferably by a Cardanshaft to countershaft a2.

7c is an extension of the annulus sleeve, so

'constructed and arranged with respect to the previously mentioned planet clutch z' o that it comes on the outside thereof and carries the axially fixed portion of another or supplementary annulus clutch.

Ze is another sleeve longitudinally movable with the use ofa key on the sleeve o and carrying the movable portion of the annulus clutch last mentioned which is adapted to clutch the annulus 7' to the driven sleeve c. Y

Z is a brake pulley for braking the driven sleeve aand located on the latter.

m1 is another brake pulley for braking the sun wheel f and vlocated forthis purpose on the countershaft al.

a is another brake pulley for braking the internally toothed annulus l7' and located on the countershaft a2.

01 and o2 are two springs so arranged respectively with regard to the ymovable portion d10 of the clutch (Z1, d10 and with g is another spring interposed between shoulders or the like formed-for the purpose on the movable member o and Ico of the planet and annulus clutches ,jz'Q and lc 700' so that it tends to keep thesecond of the` aforesaid movable members in theoperative position.v

"r1 and r2 are forks, so arranged respectively with regard to the movable part d10 of the clutch d1, d10 and tothe Vmovable part d20 ofthe clutch d2 d20 that they ypermit these movable parts to beoperated.

The operation is effected from pedals s1 and s2 which are so connected respectively to the fork r1 and the band of the brake pulley m1 and to the fork r2 and the band of the brake pulley n, that bypressing'progressively one or other ofthe pedalsit is possible first of all to bring the corresponding moving part into the inoperative position and then without modifying this effect to bring the corresponding brake band into action. Y

t is an annulus clutch pedal preferably located, as shown, between the two lastV mentioned pedals7 so that it can be operated at the same time as one of them by the samefoot. This pedal is so Yconnected to a controlling fork u co-operating with the moving part 700, of the annulus clutch k, lc" that on depressing this pedal7 the said part can be rendered inoperative.V Y

c is a planet clutch pedal connected to the fork w, co-operating with the moving part o of the clutch z'. 0 and also connected to the band of the brake pulley m2 so that it is possible on depressing .this pedal progres-` sively, first to render the movingpart inoperative and then without modifying this effeet to render the band inoperative.

a' is another pedal, so connected to the brakeband of the pulley Z, that upon depressing this pedal` the band comes into operation. V-

81 .920 and toare pawls in connection with the pedals s1 s2 and t, so arranged that when these pedals are sufficiently depressed for the movable parts of the clutches they conthen turns tree, inthe normal direction whichdirection will be hereinafter termed the positive direction for thesalre oi 'simplicity.

First speecZ.-Unclutch the pedals' s1.

This causes themotor to drive Vsun wheel f through the parts e, b, b1, (Z2, d10, a? and el, and'causes theannulus 7' to turn in the negative direction. This is due to the resistance offeredk by the drivensleeve'c tothe rotation of the whole device carrying the planet pinions g and the resulting locking ot the axles or' the pinions. The internally toothed annulus'V j and the parts ecrit-rolledl thereby, viz: the worm e2 and the counter-shafta2 are correspondingly driven in the negative direction. 'Then lfully depress the pedal s2 which will lock the pulley a, thus prevent- Y ing the just described rotation in the negative direction and consequently compelling Y* the planet pinions g to operate upon the annulus j and, in turning the planet pinion carrier, .to overcome the resistance ot the driven sleeve c.

Second speed- Reverse the tinal position ot the pedals s1 and s2, that is by suitable operation of the pawl mechanism 820 allow the second ot' thepedals to move up and press the first Ato the bottom. This causes the motor to drive in a similar manner but upon this occasion not through the intervention of the vvheel b1, but trom the smaller wheel b2 and causing t-he planet pinions g to operate not upon the annulus j but upon the sun wheel #the circumference of which is much` smaller than that of the aforesaid annulus j.

.4. Third speed-Allow the pedal s2 to move completely up. This causes the motor to operate upon the planet pinions g Vthrough the intervention concurrently of the sun wheel f and the annulus 5. F 01m/7L speecZr-Press the pedal s2 so that it is engaged by the pawl, and disengage the annulus clutch pedal t. This causes the motor only to operate through the countershaft al and obli'ges the whole differential mechanism to turn as one block, thus obtaining a direct drive.

6. Fifth speed-Push down the pedal s1, so that it is engaged by the pawl and disengage the pawl s2. This produces the same result as in the last case except that the direct drive is on this occasion eti'ected through lthe smaller wheel b2 instead ot through the wheel b1. v

7. Braking- Operate the pedal zr.

8. Reverse driver-All the pedals are yto be brought into corresponding positions in order to obtain the Jfourth speed, that is to say, the pedal-82 is engaged, and the pedal s and the annulus clutch pedal t are disensleeve c in the negative direction.

As has already been remarked, the invention is not limited in any way to the methods ot' carrying the same into eliect or to the applications which have-been more particularly described.

It includes, on the contrary many modifications, amongst which may be mentioned The-modification in which, in place of the construction just described, the respective positions of the worm wheel which controls the endless screw e2 and the system oi a planet and annulus clutches z', 0 and 7c, lo@ would be reversed, so that the last system is located directly after the differential change speed mechanism.

A' modiiicationin which the worm wheels and worms would be replaced by gearing of other descriptions.

An arrangement in which the change speed mechanism, instead ot' being` furnished with straight cut teeth would be provided with bevel gear wheels, in which case, supposing it is desired to profit by the advantages of having the wheels j' and of dilierent diameters, the said principal wheels would be of different diameters and the planet pinions would be replaced by pairs ot planet pinions each integral with a common sleeve and adjacent to one another and would be so arranged that one of the elementary pinions of said pair could mesh with one and the other with the other oi the principal wheels.

In some cases T may provide a system of shafts upon the rear frame of the automobile comprising the arrangements shown in the drawing or' some analogous arrangements, but for operating the shafts al and a2, in place of employing a single motor I may employ two separate motors, using in this case the improvements relating to apparatus operated by internal combustion engines especially those for powerful automobile vehicles having to operate at times under full power and at other times under much reduced power forming the subject matter of a patent application in my name, filed at the same time as the present application. As will be readily understood with this construction, the shaft a would be omitted, as well as the pinions b, b1 and b2.

ln some cases the apparatus may be employed but not be located upon a special fitting at the rear of an automobile.

In some instances, for controlling the various parts and clutches, other mechanisms may lbe provided besides those which have been previously described.

In general it is to be understood that the construction may be varied considerably, without departing from the principle of my invention as defined by the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure Vby Letters Patent of the United States of America is l. ln differential change speed mechanism, the combination of a sun wheel, a

toothed annulus, planet pinions meshing` with the said wheel and annulus, a driven shaft, means for couplingthe planet pinions to the driven shaft, a principal driving shaft carrying a toothed pinion, two secondary driving I shafts having toothed pinions mounted loosely thereon and meshing with the pinion on the principal shaft, plate clutches for clutching the loose pinions on the secondary shafts to the secondary shafts means for driving the sun Wheel from die of the secondary shafts and the annulus from the other of such shafts, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. AIn differential change speed mechanism, the combination of a driven shaft, a sun wheel carried by a sleeve around said shaft, a toothed annuluscarried by another sleeve,k planet pinions also carried bya sleeve, thesaid planet pinions meshing with the sun wheel and thefannulus, a plate Vclutch for couplingthe sleeve carrying the secondar drivino' shafts havinF toothed pinions of different diameters mounted loosely thereon and meshing with vthe pin` ion on the principal shaft, plate clutches for clutching the loose pinionson the secondary shafts to Vthe secondary shafts, a

Cardan shaft connected to each of the `said secondary shafts, a Worm carried by each of the said Cardan shafts, Qneof the Worms meshing with' a Worm Wheel on the sleeve carryingthe sun Wheel and the other mesliing with a vvorm WheelonV the sleeve carrying the. toothed annulus, meansfor bralring either of the secondary shafts, for

brakingthe planet pinion carrier and for braking the driven shaft, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

ln Witness whereof I affix my signature.V

EMILE DESMOULINS. 

